Connected House by Albert Mo

The transformation of a dated mid-century modernist house into a liveable family home is deeply grounded in response to its history and relationship to the environment.

When architects design their own home, risks can be taken; it is part of the experimentation and boldness that comes with being your own client. This is precisely what Albert Mo, alongside Architects EAT, have done with Connected House, an inspiring transformation of a modernist dwelling in Melbourne. Drawing on three key notions – connection, adaptation and reinterpretation – Albert and Architects EAT have created a home that deeply responds to its history, its immediate environment and the needs of its inhabitants.

“As I ascended the house from a small entryway, my immediate view was of green elm leaves the full width of the living room. I was gobsmacked: it was the romantic notion of living in a treehouse.”

“As I ascended the house from a small entryway from the lower-ground floor to the upper floor, my immediate view was of green elm leaves the full width of the living room,” Albert recalls. “I was gobsmacked: it was the romantic notion of living in a tree house – and the rest is history.” This was the moment he first fell in love with what would later become a home for himself, his wife Evelyn and their family.

That was 15 years ago, when the house was old and forgotten, with many people begging for it to be torn down. “It’s a Peter and Dione McIntyre mid-century creation – it would be a crime to demolish it,” says Albert. Nestled on a steep site a stone’s throw from the Yarra River in the Studley Park locale of Kew, the home is surrounded by established native landscapes. “To me, Studley Park is like the Manhattan of Melbourne modernist residential architecture,” he adds.

“While we love the original design – which focused on the central courtyard – the house had turned away from the backyard.”

The brief was sectioned into three main components. “The first was to establish the connection of the house to the backyard both visually and physically.” The next was to create a separate space for the couple’s two children and ensure the home responds and adapts with the passing of time. “The third was to modernise and improve on the liveability and sustainability based on the modernist bones of the house.”

As such, there is a profound biophilic design philosophy imbued through Connection House. “Our house is a definite response to its history and immediate environment,” notes Albert. “While we love the original design – which focused on the central courtyard – the house had turned away from the backyard.” Most of the project was therefore dedicated to the backyard – the level of the outdoor dining terrace has been carefully considered so that it would receive an abundance of sunlight without being shadowed by the new upstairs volume.

“The entire facade of the rumpus can be dropped mechanically by a hand crank to become a drawbridge that links to the backyard.”

This new addition, a rumpus room for the couple’s children, sits atop the existing house. “The entire facade of the rumpus can be dropped mechanically by a hand crank to become a drawbridge that links to the backyard. And in the other direction, bi-fold doors open up to the north, effectively turning the rumpus into a sheltered outdoor balcony with views across the courtyard below and above the treetops of our neighbours.”

The drawbridge is a prominent feature and certainly attracts attention. “I suppose the experimental nature of this was only possible because this is our own house and project. Would I do it for a client? Only, perhaps, with a lot of caveats, and only for very trusting and patient clients.” Albert has always been fascinated by the mechanism of a drawbridge and recalls the process being relentless but worthwhile. “We found an aerospace engineer who was willing to do the maths. Then the challenge was to find someone capable enough to fabricate the components. We upsized different components three more times, and only then we called it done!”

Many original features were restored and retained, such as the stripped-off paint that reveals the brickwork underneath, and the beams and rafters of the old roof.

Similarly, the residence responds to its rich history in a way that elevates the home’s modernist roots. Many original features were restored and retained, such as the stripped-off paint that reveals the brickwork underneath, and the beams and rafters of the old roof. “Although no longer structural, they serve as the memory of the original fall and angle.” John Leigh Spath wallpaper and a Fog & Mørup Nova pendant by Jo Hammerborg were also salvaged.

Raw materials dominate throughout to reveal the home’s industrial spirit. Exposed steel structures, large glass panels, plastic grating, vinyl flooring, barn-door tracking, stainless-steel mesh and cogs and gears are complemented by wall-to-wall and ceiling-to-ceiling lime-washed plywood that also differentiates the new volume from the floor below.

“Many of the pieces have been collected over the years, including a few that Evelyn and I made at a Melbourne University furniture workshop 25 years ago.”

“We stripped back layers that had been added over the past 60 years and have stayed true to the original design with plaster walls and painted timber rafters.” Japanese tiles from Artedomus, a wooden bath, timber battens and cladding and grasscloth wallpaper are used in the home’s more private spaces. “With our Asian heritage, and the parallels between modernist and Japanese design, we found some of our material choices had a subconscious bend in this direction.”

A sense of cohesion is born from the way materials balance with an eclectic selection of furnishings. “There isn’t a theme or a single aesthetic,” reflects Albert. “Many of the pieces have been collected over the years, including a few that Evelyn and I made at a Melbourne University furniture workshop 25 years ago.” Artworks have also been collected from friends over time.

“Being our own client and architect has given us the advantage of knowing exactly how we’ve lived and wanted to live.”

In terms of environmental considerations, “this was one big-ticket item on our brief,” says Albert. “The original house had little to no consideration in regard to sustainability, so we put in everything that we could to offset our energy consumption and increase efficiency.” These future-proofing measures include solar power, insulation and double-glazing, harvesting rainwater for toilets, cross ventilation, planting trees for future canopy and maximising natural sunlight that filters into the house while protecting it during summer. “At the end of the day, it’s all about our future generation, our children, improving comfort and amenity, connection to the environment and safety.”

For Albert, Connected House is his ideal home – a unique achievement coming together in a profoundly rewarding way. “Being our own client and architect has given us the advantage of knowing exactly how we’ve lived and wanted to live.” When he reflects on the home he has created, he muses, “it feels like playing Bob Dylan on a rainy autumn Saturday afternoon in front of the fire, with the kids annoying me in the background, and I love it.”

Architecture and interior design by Albert Mo. Build by Block Constructions. Landscape architecture by Mud Office. Landscape contracting by Mode Landscaping. Structural engineering by Ipsum Structures. Joinery by Marant Industries.